Mounting for hinged covers



April 28, 1964 G..c. WERNER 3,130,651

MOUNTING FOR HINGED COVERS Filed Aug. 23, 1960 INVENTOR. '@2656'.lie/ff@ BY United States Patent() 3,139,651 MUNTING FR HINGE!) COVERSGeorge C. Werner, Neenah, Wis., assigner to Neenah Foundry Company,Neenah, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 23, 196i), Ser. No.51,338 6 Claims. (Cl. 94-36) This invention relates to a mounting forhinged covers. The invention has particular reference to, and isexempli-fied by disclosure of, the hinged connection between a manholecover and its mounting casting. The casting Vprovides a hinge pocketmeans opening rearwardly from 'the seat upon which the cover rests whenclosed. The

pocket provides side walls with opposed channels extending rearwardly atthe level of the seat and having downwardly extending terminal portions.Lug means extending rearwardly from the cover has laterally projectingpins which, by manipulation of the cover, can be introduced into theopposed channels and moved rearwardly therein and downwardly into theaforesaid channel extensions, where the pins are releasably pivoted toaccommodate the raising and lowering of the cover.

The downward extensions of such channels have slight enlargements in aforward direction into which the pins will move as the cover is elevatedbeyond the vertical, the cover bearing on the rear walls of the pocketand being restrained in a nearly upright position by engagement of thepins against the undercut side margins of the pocket means forwardly ofthe downward extension of the channels.

The arrangement is one in which the cover is instantly removable withouttools when in a raised position and yet will stand securely when openand will seat tightly and flush with its base casting when closed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a View in perspective showing a preferred embodiment of thecover and base casting assembly embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken in section on an enlarged scale on the line 2-2of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail view on a further enlarged scale taken insection on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a View taken in section on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view taken in section on the line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the cover standing in itsopen position, the cover being fragmentarily illustrated.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail view in perspective showing the cover andbase casting slightly separated, as in mounting or removal of the cover.

In the manhole usage selected for exemplication of the invention, thebase casting 10 is set into the pavement 11 with its iiange portion 12recessed into the paving material to be ush with the upper surface 13 ofthe pavement. The casting provides at 14 a seat for the cover 15. Theparticular subject matter of this application is a ilush hinge structurefor detachably connecting cover 15 with the base casting 10 and foraccommodating hinged movement of the cover between the full lineposition shown in FIG, 1 and FIG. 2 and the raised position shown indotted lines in FIG. 2.

For the purposes hereof, the hinge structure is duplicated near oppositesides of the cover 15. The base casting 10 has two rearwardly projectingpockets 16 each of which has an interior cavity 17 opening into theinterior of base casting 10. The casting provides opposing side walls 1Sand 19. At least one of the side walls of each pocket, and preferablyboth thereof, are provided with Veach pocket.

ice

channels 20 which open from the seat 14 in a generally horizontalrearward direction, each such channel having a downwardly turned portionat 22 which is slightly enlarged at its lower end to undercut thehorizontal run of the channel at Z3.

The cavity 17 is also extended rearwardly at 25 beneath the margin 24 atthe rear of the pocket.

The cover 15 has an ear 30 projecting rearwardly into Each such ear hasone or more lugs or pins 31 dimensioned and located to fit into thechannel or Ychannels 2G formed in the casting side walls which definethe respective pockets 17. Instead of cast lugs, it is preferred thatthe pins be Prefabricated. The cover may readily be used to manipulatethe pins 31 into or from the respective channels 20 bordering thecavities of pockets 17. At the rear of the channels 20, the pins or lugs31 rest in the enlarged downward extremities of the channels to providetransversely aligned fulcrums upon which the cover is pivotally movablebetween its open and closed positions. In the closed position shown inFIGS. 1 to 5, the cover rests on the seat 14, its ears 30 substantiallylling the cavities of the respective pockets. In the open position ofthe cover as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 and fragmentarilyillustrated in full lines in FIG. 6, the cover pivots against the margin24 at the rear of the pocket, while its pin or lug 31 seats in theundercut portion of the channel to hold the cover securely againstfurther rearward or any upward movement.

While the cover is very rigidly supported either in its closed or itsopen position, nevertheless it will be apparent that the lugs or pins 31can be manipulated out of the channels 20 with great ease, the directionof movement being shown by arrows 34 in FIG. 6. Converse movementre-engages the cover with the base casting with equal facility.

As already indicated, the provision of two channels and two pins or lugsper pocket is optional inasmuch as one will suflice where there are atleast two pockets. However, the use of two pivot pins per cover isgreatly preferred because of its strength and smoothness of operation.The pins or lugs 31 may either be cast integral with the covers or maycomprise lengths of rod inserted in the ears. In practice, stainlesssteel pins 31 are used to provide the pivotal interlock between thecovers and bases.

I claim:

1. The combination with a cover having rearwardly projecting ear meansprovided with pin means projecting laterally in opposite directions, ofa base provided with an opening and a seat about the opening and uponwhich the margin of the cover rests and having rearwardly extendingpocket forming means opening through the seat and into which the earmeans extends, the pocket forming means having oppositely facing lateralsurfaces provided with laterally opening channels overhung by a portionof the pocket forming means and opening to said seat with the bottom ofthe channel substantially at seat level and provided at correspondingdistances rearwardly of said seat with downward extensions in which saidpin means are removably fulcrumed, the pin means being slidable alongthe respective channels between said extensions and said seat, the seatsupporting said pin means to sustain part of the weight of the coverduring removal and replacement of the cover.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the ear means comprises a pair oflaterally spaced ears, the pin means projecting oppositely from therespective ears, the base having separate cavities constituting saidpocket forming means and in which the respective ears are disposed whenthe cover is seated.

3. The device of claim 2 in which the pocket forming ymeansincludesmeans providing a rear shoulder against which the cover abutswhen pivoted from its seat to an open position, the downward extensionof said channels in the respective pocket forming means being undercutto receive respective pin means in the open position of the cover.

4. The combination with a base casting provided with a seat spaced belowits top face, of a cover normally disposed upon and fitting the seat andpivotally movable therefrom between seated and open positions, the basecasting having rearwardly extending pocket forming means provided withopposed lateral faces having channels ex- 'tending rearwardly from theseat with lowei. side surfaces opening substantially flush with saidseatand provided at their ends remote from the seat with downwardextensions forwardly undercut, the cover having ears substantially ttingthe pocket forming means between the said faces thereof and having pinmeans dirnensionally fitting the channels and providing fulcrums in thedownward extensions of the channels upon which the cover is movablebetween its seated and open positions, the pin means being readilymanipulatable through the channels to and from positions of support onthe seat free of said channels whereby the cover may be mounted anddismounted by such manipulation.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the pocket forming means has arearshoulder and a cavity underlying such shoulder, the said shoulderbeing engaged by the cover in its said open position and providing afulcrum upon which the cover pivots to urge its said pin means forwardlyinto the undercut portions of the downwardly extending parts of therespective channels.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the base casting has abeveled surface inclined from its top face toward said seat and throughwhich said channels open at the level of said seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS203,343 Jackson May 7, 1878 541,204 Hallenbeck June 18, 1895 715,034Douglass Dec. 2, 1902 891,235 Diehl June 23, 1908 941,539 Sharp Nov. 30,1909 1,108,323 Bodley Aug. 25, 1914 v1,442,737 Schacht Jan. 16, 19231,641,391 Lewis Sept. 6, 1927 2,012,885 Lovatt Aug. 27, 1935 2,025,664Taylor Dec. 24, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,573 Great Britain Oct. 7, 1913150,560 Switzerland Ian. 16, 1932 366,700 Great Britain Feb. 11, 1932474,250 Great Britain Oct. 28, 1937

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A COVER HAVING REARWARDLY PROJECTING EAR MEANSPROVIDED WITH PIN MEANS PROJECTING LATERALLY IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, OFA BASE PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING AND A SEAT ABOUT THE OPENING AND UPONWHICH THE MARGIN OF THE COVER RESTS AND HAVING REARWARDLY EXTENDINGPOCKET FORMING MEANS OPENING THROUGH THE SEAT AND INTO WHICH THE EARMEANS EXTENDS, THE POCKET FORMING MEANS HAVING OPPOSITELY FACING LATERALSURFACES PROVIDED WITH LATERALLY OPENING CHANNELS OVERHUNG BY A PORTIONOF THE POCKET FORMING MEANS AND OPENING TO SAID SEAT WITH THE BOTTOM OFTHE CHANNEL SUBSTANTIALLY AT SEAT LEVEL AND PROVIDED AT CORRESPONDINGDISTANCES REARWARDLY OF SAID SEAT WITH DOWNWARD EXTENSIONS IN WHICH SAIDPIN MEANS ARE REMOVABLY FULCRUMED, THE PIN MEANS BEING SLIDABLE ALONGTHE RESPECTIVE CHANNELS BETWEEN SAID EXTENSIONS AND SAID SEAT, THE SEATSUPPORTING SAID PIN MEANS TO SUSTAIN PART OF THE WEIGHT OF THE COVERDURING REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE COVER.